What's for dinner?

Image courtesy of www.vegalicious.org

Do you have a really busy day ahead?

Would you like to get one of your 'must do' chores out of the way in the morning before that late-afternoon energy crash happens?

Do you want a healthy, delicious dinner tonight?

Do you like Mexican food?

Well, my answer is yes to all of these and if yours is, too, then I'm going to share one of my favorite recipes with you. Because it goes together quickly with minimal ingredients, it's a breeze to make. Because it actually tastes better after sitting for a while, it's perfect to make in advance. Because it's a meatless option, loaded with veggies and good carbs, it's a pretty healthy choice. And, because it's cheesy and gooey, your kids will probably love it, too!

Laurie's Veggie Enchiladas

1 15 oz. can of black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 15 oz. can of drained, chopped tomatoes (with or without chiles, depending on how spicy you like your food)

1/2 can chopped green chiles (again, adjust this to how hot you like things)

1 15 oz. can of corn

1 cup of cooked brown rice (you can use white if you like. * Whenever I make rice, I throw in a vegan, low-sodium bouillon cube to add extra flavor)

1/2 - 1 cup silken tofu (OPTIONAL. I use it because it adds some moisture to the recipe and gives a great boost of protein. It doesn't change the flavor at all, in my opinion.)

1 1/2 cups of Colby-Jack cheese (more or less as you like)

1 can of enchilada sauce (I actually use another 1/2 a can because I think the corn tortillas need the moisture, but that's up to you)

salt, pepper to taste

I add 2 teaspoons of cumin powder because I like it and it smells good

1 package of corn tortillas (some people like flour tortillas instead, but the corn

is healthier)

* shredded lettuce, fresh chopped cilantro, chopped black olives, chopped tomatoes, avocado, sour cream, salsa, etc... for toppings

1. Spray a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with oil. I actually make mine in 2 - 8 x 8 pans because I freeze one.

2. Mix together beans, tomatoes, chiles, corn, rice, tofu, 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce, 1/2 of the cheese and your spices in a large bowl.

3. Spoon a small amount of your enchilada sauce into the bottom of your baking dish, just to cover the bottom

4. Spread approximately 1/3 cup of the mixture into your tortilla, roll up and place seam side down in your baking dish. When you've finished all of the rolls, spread the remaining enchilada sauce over them, then top with your cheese.

5. Cover them with oil-sprayed foil or a baking dish lid. At this point, you can bake them immediately for 30-35 minutes in a 350 degree oven or do what I do:

I put one in the fridge to 'gel' until time to cook it for dinner. I think that putting them in the fridge really helps the flavors blend and all the juicy goodness soaks into the tortillas. The other pan gets wrapped and bagged and put into the freezer for those times when baseball and basketball practice collide on the same night.

When it's time to eat, just top them with your fresh veggies, salsa and sour cream. I usually serve it with fresh fruit for the kids, a salad for us old folks.